KenPetrus.com

Executive Pastor @ North Side Baptist Church

Kindle Edition…Through the Storms

Oct 3

Posted by ken in General, Leadership, Personal

Through the Storms book is now available in Kindle edition…
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009KORA14
Pretty cool to be able to offer a digital format.

In 2001, our son, Eric was diagnosed with cancer. The diagnosis and ensuing “storm” turned our family’s life completely upside down. I am Eric’s Dad. This was something that I could not fix. I wrote this book to provide some encouragement to others dealing with storms in their life. To accomplish this, we walk by faith. I trust this book will provide you with some encouragement.

Blessings,

Ken

2 Comments

So You Need to Prepare a Resume…

Sep 10

Posted by ken in Career Care Ministry, Finance, General, Leadership, Staffing, Stewardship

So You Need to Prepare a Resume…

So You Need to Prepare a Resume…now what? Just for the fun of it, I googled “resume writing tips”…I received 21,950,000 hits. Wow, how in the world do you decipher all of that information? Where do you begin? What is right? What is wrong? I perused though the pages and found numerous articles on Top 10 Resume Writing Tips, Top 5, even a Top 44. All of these promised to produce a killer resume. I am not so sure that there are 5 or 10 or even 44 tips that will produce the perfect resume for everyone.
I firmly believe that a resume has to be personal…it must tell the personal story of the writer addressing the needs of the potential employer. That’s it…its pretty simple. Well, it’s not quite all that easy. Here are a few suggestions that I believe could help you prepare a good resume:
• Be yourself…your resume needs to reflect who you are, not who you think the company wants to hire. This is a mistake that is often made by many. No one is the perfect candidate; although we may think we are…we all have flaws and imperfections. Be yourself and make sure that your resume reflects you.

• Be professional…there is a professional appearance to resumes that should be followed. Review resumes on line and use a professional template to format your resume. There are plenty of free ones available. Also, professional language should be used for in describing your achievements, experience and education.

• Be truthful…often times, there is a temptation to enhance or embellish previous experience. Be careful not to “enhance” achievements, experience or education. Resume “enhancements” will be revealed in an interview and may lose the opportunity for you.

• Be clear…think through what you are going to put on resume. Be clear…don’t beat around the bush, so to speak. Be direct and right to the point. For example, when listing accomplishments, use phrases such as:

o served to Team Leader,
o cut scrap by 48%,
o increased sales by11%,
o recognized as Employee of the Month,
o etc.

• Be concise…write in terms of bullets rather than long paragraphs. It is much easier to read and also, highlights your strengths.

• Be organized…don’t jump around. Organize both your education and work history in a chronological format…from latest to oldest. Be careful not to let the short term positions overshadow the long term positions. If there is a period of time that you help several temporary positions, group them together as “Temporary Positions” and briefly summarize the responsibilities.

• Be personable…let “yourself” show through your resume. You want the person who is going to review your resume to have a mental picture of you after he or she is finished reading it. It is his or her “take away” about you that is important. By building your resume properly, you can paint your personal picture. You want to show how each position and resulting experience built upon on another. Also, you want to point out your successes in position where you flourished.

You need to recognize the overall objective of the resume. That is, to demonstrate to the potential employer your experience and education in such a manner that it will get you an interview. Somehow, you need to set yourself apart from the other applicants. Recently, I was told by one employer, it was not uncommon for him to receive upwards of 80 resumes for a local position. Wow, keep in mind, that you need to construct your resume in such a way that it rises to the top of a stack of eighty.

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So You Lost Your Job, Now What?

Jul 3

Posted by ken in Career Care Ministry, General, Leadership, Personal

So You Lost Your Job, Now What?   A great question that many people are being unexpectedly faced with in today’s economy. In these tough times, employers may have to take extreme measures to find more efficient ways of doing things…from the production floor to the sales office. It’s not personal…its business. Unfortunately, it does become personal when you are the person who no longer has a job. Here are a few tidbits of advice that may help you if you are faced with a sudden job loss…
•    Pray…seek the Lord…this is a time to strengthen you dependence on the Lord. Seek His provision, His guidance and His direction for your next steps.
•    Conserve…financially, you need to “hunker down”. Immediately stop spending on anything not absolutely necessary. Stop going out to eat. Get rid of the frills. Sell some stuff that you no longer use. Talk to your mortgage company and other creditors…let them know what is going on with you.
•    Build…the picture of yourself to present to others…that is a resume and a cover letter. The resume should be limited to two pages and highlight past accomplishments. Build a general resume, but be prepared to tailor it specific job postings as you apply for them.
•    Talk…to family, friends and neighbors. Let others know that you are unemployed and are seeking a job. Do not be ashamed. Others can help you by providing a lead and giving you a recommendation.
•    Listen…to others in conversations for possible job openings.
•    Seek…advice and wise counsel. For many, being unemployed is new. You may not be familiar with resume preparation or cover letter writing…seek help. This is no time to be bashful.
•    Develop…yourself. This is the time to develop yourself…maybe it’s that computer course that you have been meaning to take…maybe it’s a public speaking course…whatever it is, now is the time.
•    Prepare…yourself for the tough questions that may arise. Why did you leave your last employer? This may be a tough on for you. Be prepared to explain you answer.
•    Account…for your actions. Have someone hold you accountable during your journey. Make sure that you are diligently seeking employment.
I trust these will help you.

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Time Management

Jul 1

Posted by ken in Finance, General, Leadership, Personal

Time…seems like these days, we never have enough time. Lots of stuff to do, everyone is busy, busy, busy! We could all use more time…whether it be our time with the Lord, our spouse, children, family, job, recreation or simply sleep.
For me, time management begins with setting priorities. Here is my priority list. You may or may not agree with my priorities. However, it is a good idea to sit down every once in a while and write down your priorities. This little exercise, at the very minimum, forces you to think about the priorities in your life.
• Time with the Lord
• Time with Spouse
• Time with Children
• Time To Work
• Time to Serve Others
• Time for Fun
• Time for Yourself
• Time to Sleep
The problem is that so often priorities get rearranged…sometimes by me, sometimes by others, sometimes by simple default due to lack of desire. What? Yup, I said lack of desire. Sometimes, we run so hard, do so many things, juggle so many balls that our priorities become less and less important to us.
Here are some of the things that help me…
1. Make a list…I write my priorities down. Then I review the list occasionally to make sure that I am following them. Within the list of priorities, I have daily lists of things that need to get done that day. Yes, I am a list man. Try it, it works. I cross items off my list as I get them done. It may seem trivial, but you do fell a sense of accomplishment as you cross of items from your list. I try my best to stick with my list. However, I do understand that ministry is “managing the interruptions” (thanks to John McFadden for that bit of advice). If something falls off my list for the day or is not completed, I then try to get that item done the first thing on the next day.

2. Don’t over schedule. Boy, I could go on for a while about overachieving here, but I will not. When planning out your priorities, your day, your week; be realistic. Do not overextend yourself. You are not superman/superwoman and no one expects you to be one. If they do, then they are wrong and you need to tell them so. Be realistic on your expectations of yourself. Please do not get me wrong here, you still have responsibilities at home, work and with family that must be met. Build in some free or down time in your schedule. Take time to pray, take a walk, talk to your wife, your children, your friends, read a book…think…plan.

3. Don’t get caught up in someone else’s dream. I must be careful here not to hurt anyone’s feelings here. However, have you ever been in a meeting at work or church and there is someone who always has the new ideas? The best plan? Before you know it everyone has their priorities changed and everyone is working on someone else’s plan or dream, while their priorities are being left unattended. Be careful not to get caught up in someone else’s dream as it may mess up your priorities.

4. Learn to say no. Boy, this is a hard one for me. I am a people pleaser and it is really hard for me to tell people no. This is especially difficult in ministry. I recently had to tell a good friend of mine that I did not attend some ministry training because as a father and grandfather I had to get our family back to normal As a result, I had to pull back from some of my ministry commitments. I had to stick with my priorities. His priority for me was different than my priority. I needed to say no and say it without guilt.

5. Planning is important. There is an old management says… “plan your work, work your plan”. This is so true…not only our jobs or our work, but so true for our home and family life as well. It is true of our daily tasks as well as our projects. Concerning projects…think through projects before starting them…preplan…jot notes. There are times that I may think through a project for several weeks before I put anything down on a piece of paper.

6. Don’t get distracted. We are surrounded by distractions. Ok, I am being real honest here…guys, how many times have you been distracted from a conversation with your wife by a commercial on television? So true. We live in a world of short snippets designed to get our attention. Stay focused; avoid distractions, work at it until the task is done.

7. Sometimes, you just need to close your door. This applies to work as well as home. Ok, so we live in the South and this may be more of a “northern” way of doing things. However, a closed door does send a message that what I am doing is important to ma and I do not want to be disturbed. All well and good. It may be a time of study, without distraction, a time of preparation, a time of planning, or maybe just a time with God.

8. Handle each piece of paper once. This is an old piece of advice I received many years ago. Think about this…handle each piece of mail (snail or email), incoming message or phone message once. Many years ago, I would read each incoming message, then set it aside and do something with it later. I found out that following the advice of handling something once that I could move about 80% of the pieces of paper, messages, etc. off of my desk. The remaining 20% is much easier to fit into my schedule.

9. Set routines. Ok, by now you can see that I am a pretty predictable guy. Gail often talks about the time when we were young and our children were small that I would come home for lunch and have Ravioli for lunch every day. The same thing. Well, I like Ravioli. It tastes good and it worked for me. I saw no need for change. I set routines…at work; I answer emails and voice messages first thing in the morning. The rest of the morning is taken up with routine tasks of ministry. In the afternoon, I work on projects. It is a simple plan that works for me. I do the same for my home tasks. It may not be super exciting and new, but the job gets done on time.

10. Minimize Meetings. We live in a world of meetings. Sometimes in my past life, I even thought that I got paid by the meeting. Meeting are necessary to communicate a message, coordinate activities to priorities, etc. however, my hones opinion is that once they go beyond an hour, time begins to be wasted. Try to minimize your meeting time. Set an agenda. Be prepared. Plan the meeting ahead of time. Communicate clearly through the meeting. Maintain order throughout the meeting such that the group does not go off on a tangent. Keep the main thing the main thing. Understand, of, course, there may need to be time for input and discussion.

These are some of the things that I have learned over the past years. We are each unique on how we handle our time. One thing that I know for sure is that we cannot make up for lost time. We must make the most of our time today. We should be good “stewards” of our time. After all, who really owns our time? The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. Psalms 24:1 (NKJV)

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Through The Storms

May 16

Posted by ken in General, Leadership, Personal

In 2001, our son, Eric was diagnosed with cancer. The diagnosis and ensuing “storm” turned our family’s life completely upside down. I am Eric’s Dad. This was something that I could not fix. I wrote this book to provide some encouragement to others dealing with storms in their life. To accomplish this, we walk by faith. I trust this book will provide you with some encouragement.

This book is available for purchase at https://www.createspace.com/3864342. The majority of the proceeds from this book will go to help Eric with his continued medical expenses.

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In Sickness and in Health…Their Love Conquers All

Jan 3

Posted by ken in General, Personal

Here is GwdToday.com’s # 8 best story of 2011. It is the story of our son, Eric and his wife Cheyanne.
In Sickness and in Health … Their Love Conquers All
Lesley Lane – GwdToday News Reporter
• Mon, Feb 14, 2011

He was born in small-town Greenwood before the old train depot was demolished and the big box stores moved in. He grew up an avid golfer and outdoorsman, with dreams of one day making it big in the world of finance.

She moved here in 91, but still your typical Southern Belle who greets you into her home with a warm, inviting smile. She dreamt of a beautiful wedding, a comfortable home, a few children  a family.

Their quaint second-story apartment smells of newly sprayed air freshener and a hint of women’s perfume. A sign on the front door spells out their last name and hung just below the mantel in the cozy living room, is a placard that says .Home Sweet Home.

They met through mutual friends; she went to high school with his older sister. They knew of each other long before they fell in love. Just one week after he graduated from college they were married. Nearly six months later his cancer was back.

Eric, 29 and his 33-year-old wife Cheyanne Petrus, agree that love is a difficult word to define but if any two people embody the patience, devotion, commitment, and adoration that it takes to love, it would be them.

When Eric and Cheyenne met six years ago Eric was in remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He found out about his cancer in 2001 after a car accident that left him with a bruised kidney. Following the wreck x-rays uncovered what was a mass in Eric’s chest that would eventually spread to his neck and under his arms. Eric’s cancer treatment began right away and Eric’s body began to heal. The weekend he found out he was in remission Eric fell in love.

Cheyanne says when she met Eric she knew the battle he had endured but Eric says that did not make it any easier to talk with Cheyenne about his cancer when their relationship became more serious.

Talking to her about it was the hardest part, Eric said. I was worried that she wouldn’t want to take up the challenge and she would be scared of what she was possibly getting herself into.

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But Cheyanne said she loved Eric and there was never a doubt in her mind that she wanted to be with him, in sickness or in health.

I always had it in the back of my mind that his cancer may come back but I didn’t really think it would be as quick as it was, she said.

Just six months after the couple took their wedding vows Eric got word that his cancer was back, and this time it was back with a vengeance.

It was devastating. They told me my husband only had a few months to live, Cheyanne said. To go through life and you want to get married, have babies, have a family and grow old together – but I’ve always had a very strong relationship with God. Both Eric and I have big faith and we just kind of put it in His hands.

Eric said Cheyenne didn’t miss a beat after they found out his cancer had returned.

�She just went full steam ahead. She figured out what she needed to do to help me and she never complained,� Eric said.

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Eric has proven to be a fighter while battling cancer and various other infections for nearly 10 years and has been a source of encouragement for many in the Greenwood community who know him, but he says Cheyenne, his wife, is his inspiration. He says that through his faith in God he believes Cheyanne was sent to him for a reason � primarily her strength, as she has fought battles all her own.

It takes a strong person and she’s strong, he said. She went through a stroke where she had to learn how to work her right arm again. She learned to write with the left hand, he said. I had to learn to walk again. I think we are here because of each other.

Today, Eric has been in remission for 18 months but his body is still very weak and his immune system is nearly non-existent. Bound to an antibiotic IV pump 24 hours a day and forbidden to leave home for fear that common illnesses will set him back even further in his recovery, Eric and Cheyanne spend the majority of their time together, inside their small apartment. None the less, Eric’s sense of humor is still very much intact.

We get on each others nerves sometimes, he said. It was probably a good thing in April when they put me in a comma because she got a break.

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But Cheyanne says every day that she gets to spend with her husband is a blessing and something she tries to never take for granted.

Every day is a gift. He was so sick in April and I thought, We won’t be together for Christmas or we are not going to make it to our three year anniversary. I won’t see him turn 30.  It’s a gift when you get past those markers, Cheyanne said. We are truly blessed. Even as sick as he has been, we are truly blessed.

Eric and Cheyanne say that one day they want to start a family; though they will have to adopt. Eric says he wants to finally have a chance to begin his career. With a bachelor’s degree in business, he hopes to work in the banking industry. He also wants to get back out on the golf course, something he says he misses dearly, but more than anything he says he wants to help others.

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�There’s always something you can do to help somebody else or to open someone�s eyes to something. When I get a chance and I’m able to get out more I want to work with the American Cancer Society. If I can just talk to one person and ease them before going into treatment or give a testimony, anything I can do I will do it.

The trials that Eric and Cheyanne have been faced with are no match for their constant love for one another, they both agree. While they know their lives will remain forever changed Cheyanne says it’s something she is willing to accept in order to continue her life with Eric.

We’ve come to realize that we don’t have the life that we used to have. Our life, it’s sickness it’s cancer, it’s chemo. That’s our life now and we have to make a new normal. Our normal is gone and will never be like it was. We just have to move on and learn from that and hopefully our normal will be the best normal that we can make it, she said.

For today the two say they will continue to take their obstacles one day at a time and say they hope to share the stories of their hurdles along with their unwavering love with their children and grand children. The advice they would give their children is that compromise and respect can conquer all in love and that their faith in God has given them the strength to endure it all.

I hope we can sit on the porch when we’re 70-years-old and look back at this and it will show us how strong we were as individuals and how strong we were as a couple, Cheyenne said.

As for giving up, both say the thought has crossed their minds, after all they are human. But Eric and Cheyenne, nearly finishing each others sentences, agree that their love – in this moment and in every moment they will face in the future, good or bad – is right.

You just know it’s right. Everything about it is right. Through sickness, through cancer, through everything we just know its right, said Cheyenne.

2 Comments

Getting through it…whatever it is.

Sep 1

Posted by ken in General, Leadership, Personal

I posted this message late last year. After this week and seeing so many hurting people. I thought it was worth a repost.

Getting through…the day…the night…the hour…the next few minutes.

I have been asked this question a lot lately…how do you do it? Followed by…I mean, you son has been very sick, you and Gail have a lot on you…how do ya’ll get through it?

Well, the answer is…one step at a time. We trust the Lord. Our faith our the Lord Jesus Christ carries us through our current circumstances.

Here are some Scripture verses that I frequently rely on…

  • When I don’t know… Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Prov 3:5-6
  • When I get anxious… Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7
  • When I get self centered…I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Gal 2:20
  • When I need guidance… All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim 3:16-17
  • When I wonder why… And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
  • When I need to encourage others… And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,  not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Heb 10:24-25
  • When I feel as though I can’t voice a prayer… Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26
  • When I feel that I need… The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me.  All the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalms 23:1-6 (NKJV)

So, there you go…this is how I “get through…”. How about you?

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Looking for a job?

Jun 6

Posted by ken in Career Care Ministry, General, Leadership, Personal, Staffing

Indeed.com

What a great resource for those looking for a job!

As I work with those who are looking for a job or a career change, I have found Indeed.com to be a tremendous tool. The concept is that it takes the key words used in your job search and delivers job openings directly to your inbox each morning. I have been running an experiment for the past couple of weeks by putting in some key words that I would use if I were looking for a new job today. The results were pretty amazing…

  • 15 to 20 jobs for General Manager
  • 10 to 20 jobs for Administrator
  • 20+ jobs for Manager
  • 10 to 15 jobs for Director
  • 25+ jobs for Technician
  • 15 jobs for Executive
  • 10 jobs for Teaching
  • 20+ jobs for Non-profit

I set up my “job search” criteria to search for jobs within a 50 mile radius of Greenwood, SC.

If you are looking for a new job or considering a career change, check out this site http://www.indeed.com

1 Comment

What is God Showing You?

Mar 17

Posted by ken in General, Leadership, Personal

What is God Showing You?

It is a question that we all should be asking ourselves from time to time. Remember, our life here on earth is not about ourselves, but rather to bring glory to God. This is something that I struggle with on a daily basis. I have a tendency to make it all about Ken rather that bringing glory to my Heavenly Father. It’s about me, what I did, rather than what God did through me.

Last week when our son, Eric, was in the the operating room, in the midst of a very risky procedure, God brought this verse to my mind… And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).  Quite honestly, I struggled with that verse for some time. How could what my son and our family was going through bring glory to God? I looked around the surgery waiting room and saw the sheer number of people waiting with us..friends and family. Then, I considered all the emails, notes, kind words, FB posts that Eric, Cheyanne and our entire family has been receiving telling us about their prayers for Eric. There were and are literally thousands, tens of thousands…maybe even hundreds of thousands of people praying for Eric. I was overwhelmed!

It was at that point that I realized how “good” was coming our of Eric’s 9 1/2 year battle. You see, God has been and is drawing people near to Himself through people’s prayers for Eric and our family! Pretty incredible when you think about it. There are people who are drawing close to our Almighty God through their intercession for Eric, Cheyanne and our family. People are being impacted in a good way through a terrible set of circumstances.

Eric, and Cheyanne as well, have an incredible testimony as to their faith through this long battle. They have impacted many, many more people than they can ever imaging. The Lord has given them the strength to endure this battle and provided numerous miracles along the way. God is bringing “good” out of a terrible situation. He is bring people closer to Himself.

How about you?  What is God Showing You?

Thank you all for your continued prayer for Eric, Cheyanne and our entire family.

4 Comments

Ken’s Interview

Mar 15

Posted by ken in General, Leadership, Personal

I was recently interviewed for an article in our church COMPASS magazine. I thought it would be interesting to share the interview here.

- Where did you grow up? What was your childhood like?

 

I grew up in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin…a small town of about 25,000…on the outskirts of the big city. I am the second oldest of five children. My Dad was a blue collar worker and my Mom “raised” us kids. We did not have a lot of extra stuff growing up…but, we never lacked anything…we had what we needed…shared things a lot amongst us kids. We grew up in a closed knit neighborhood. My childhood was pretty typical of those in the 50’s and 60’s…not a lot of extras…but never went without. Dad was a hard worker and great provider. Mom kept us straight.

 

- What kinds of things did you like growing up?

I always enjoyed sports…loved basketball and baseball…always had a pickup game going on in the neighborhood. I started working at a very young age…at 12… I worked on a farm and continued working on farms from that time all the way through high school…everything from plowing, cultivating, planting, picking and taking the vegetables to market. I made 60 cents an hour and if I was lucky, in the summer, I could work piece work and make near 90 cents an hour. My parents taught me the value of money early…one third of what we made was given to the family to help with the family expenses.

 

- Tell about your schooling – high school, college, etc.

I graduated high school never intending on going to college. My parents were straight forward with us and told us that they could not afford college for all five of us. So, I developed a “trade” in high school…that being a draftsman. The day after high school graduation, I started an apprenticeship with McGraw Edison as a draftsman. As my career developed, I was encouraged by my co-workers to attend college. I enrolled in the evening program and pursued an Electrical Engineering degree from Milwaukee School of Engineering. In 1973, the company announced it’s moved to Greenwood, Sc and I accepted the transfer.

 

- When and how did you meet Gail? Tell a little about her. What “drew” you to her?

 

Gail and I met in the spring of 1975…it was a setup by her cousin and her husband, a golfing buddy of mine. We were engaged a month after we met and married five months later. Her smile, sense of humor and gentle caring attitude is what drew me near to her. Needless to say…I married way over my head. Gail is most definitely a “Proverbs 31 woman”.

 

- Tell a little about coming to know Christ.

I grew up in the Catholic faith, going to Mass six days a week and following all the Catholic rituals and practices…actually, even considered going into the priesthood at one point. Throughout those growing up years, I always felt something missing…as it turned out…it was a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I accepted Christ as my personal Savior as an adult. I finally understood God’s grace in a very personal way. I understood that I was saved by grace through my faith in Him…not by my works.

 

- Kids? Ages? Grandkids? Give some info on them

Gail and I have three children…Ashley, Stephen and Eric. Ashley works for the Burton Center and is married to Lin. They have three children…Tyler 11, Jordan 11 and Savannah 5. Our son Stephen lives in Simpsonville, works for Fluor and is married to Shannon. They have a daughter, Avery who is 2 years old. Eric is our youngest and is married to Cheyanne. Many of you know of Eric’s battle with cancer. He graduated from Lander with a degree in Finance. He is looking forward to the opportunity to work in this field and start a family.

 

- What jobs have you had since High School/College?

I worked for McGraw Edison for 17 years in numerous engineering and marketing positions. In addition, I have started and managed a number of small businesses throughout my 30 plus year career. I have been blessed with a tremendous amount of experience in both the large corporate world as well in the small business world. The Lord has allowed me both successes and failures in my life to bring me to where he has me today.

 

- When did you start at NSBC? What was and is your job?

I came on staff here at north Side in October of 2001. The Lord called me to a staff position at North Side through Jeff Lethco. We had worked together on a capital stewardship campaign and an SCBC evaluation of our office systems. When it was recommended that North Side consider hiring a Business Administrator, Jeff approached me about the position. I accepted the position and worked part time for about 8 months. At that time I came on staff full time as Minister of Administration and Education. Today, I serve in the role of Executive Pastor. I serve behind the scenes in executing the plan. I work with the other pastors and leaders in providing the resources to allow them to do ministry. I am definitely a “behind the scenes guy”. Titus 1:5 describes my position…Paul said to Titus “…that you should set things in order that are lacking…”

In addition, I do get the privilege of leading our special needs ministry…Sonshine Ministry. The Lord has used the people of this ministry to teach mean the true meaning of unconditional love.

 

- How have you grown while at NSBC?

I cannot begin to tell you how much I have grown since being on staff here at North Side. In one area, the formal education of obtaining both a Master and a Doctorate degree Church Business Administration which has been invaluable to me. On the other hand, the Lord has grown me tremendously as a pastor….caring for, feeding, leading and protecting the members of North Side Baptist Church. He continually allows me to see how He can use me and all my life experiences to serve Him.

 

- What is the most important thing you get out of your job?

The most important thing that I get out of my job is serving others.

 

- How has being a grandfather changed your life?

I like to tell fathers that becoming a grandparent is God’s blessing for not killing your kids! All joking aside, being a grandparent is a tremendous blessing. While our children were small, I was busy climbing the corporate ladder or pursuing a business dream. I was an absent father in many ways. Gail did a great job in raising our children. Being a grandparent has allowed me to stop and live in the moment. I love spending time with our grandchildren.

 

Hope you found it a little bit interesting and maybe found out something about me that you did not know.

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